Once Upon a Time
by DreamGWTW
Summary: Set ten years after the end of GWTW. Scarlett and Rhett have since reconciled and are asked to watch over their grandchild for an evening. Rhett decides to tell their granddaughter, Elizabeth, quite the inventive fairy tale to pass the time. Interesting events occur that include a lace blanket, a tantrum, and a happy resolution. Written for the Valentine's Ficathon/Challenge 2013.


~February 13, 1884~

"You told Wade what exactly?" Scarlett asked with a raised brow, suddenly stopping mid hair-stroke to stare directly into Rhett's eyes in the looking glass of her vanity set where she had been preparing herself for bed.

"I said we would watch Elizabeth for the night while he and his wife enjoy their evening without a four-year-old running about the house."

Slamming the hairbrush down on the vanity with a loud bang that sent her flower-patterned little porcelain containers to clinking together, Scarlett turned to face her husband head-on. "Are you telling me that you offered to entertain Elizabeth, on Valentine's Day of all days?" she shouted heatedly, her eyes two blazing emeralds of rage.

"Yes, and what of it?" he asked nonchalantly while he busily shrugged off his coat, tossed it on the bed, then moved to removing his vest and cravat.

"It's Valentine's Day, Rhett! Why should we be spending it watching over someone else's child?"

"Scarlett, don't you think it would be nice for your son and his wife to have a pleasant night to themselves before the baby comes?"

"I'm sure I'm not the one who suggested they have another child! And besides, what about my Valentine's Day? Don't I deserve something special?"

"Selfish to the end aren't you, my sweet?" Rhett chuckled then effortlessly caught the hairbrush that went flying towards his head. "Your aim has certainly improved, it seems."

"I have had quite a bit of practice over the years."

Laughing softly to himself, he returned the item back to its rightful place, then smiled down at his riled up wife of sixteen years who looked like she wanted nothing more than to slap him. Some things never changed, no matter how many years passed, but the tiny hint of a smile at the corner of her lips told him she was not angry beyond reason.

"It's for Wade, Scarlett. One evening. We can celebrate at any other time."

"Fine," she grumbled reluctantly. "But you're the one who offered so you can entertain her."

"She's your granddaughter as well."

Feeling as though she were about to burst a blood vessel if she entertained this conversation any longer, Scarlett inhaled a deep breath and turned back towards the mirror, picking up her hairbrush once again to finish the job and ignoring him completely like he had not spoken a word. A good trick she had learned over the many years of marriage.

"Permit me," Rhett whispered, removing the brush from her hands without waiting for a reply, and then slid up behind her on the bench to run the bristles over through cascading raven tresses that reached passed the middle of her back.

Wordlessly, Scarlett watched him glide the brush through her hair over and over again until it crackled and glowed glossily in the candlelight, entranced by his concentration on the simple task. His fascination with her hair was always a mystery, but it felt so wonderful to pampered and cared for that Scarlett never questioned him about it. When she felt his lips gently graze the side of her neck, Scarlett sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back into his chest.

"It's one night, my dear. Just one," Rhett murmured between kisses.

"Oh fine."

"You forgive me?"

"Yes," she replied breathlessly, giving up the fight entirely when their lips met, and she was suddenly lifted off the bench and carried towards the bed.

~R&S~

The one thing that Rhett had failed to mention was that the one evening also included part of the next morning, something Scarlett quickly surmised when Elizabeth came packed with an overnight bag and her coveted white lace blanket in tow. The little girl came bounding up front steps towards her grandparents, brown curls bouncing around her face in her enthusiasm, and she threw her arms around her grandmother's legs in an affectionate hug.

"Grandma," Elizabeth exclaimed in greeting, and Scarlett inwardly cringed at the term. It was still hard to believe that she was a grandmother, as much as she loved her sweet granddaughter. _This must have been how my mother felt when she became a grandmother to Wade,_ Scarlett mused, thinking that being a grandmother at the age of thirty-nine almost seemed unfathomable. It was a wonder that her own mother had not fainted at the idea of becoming one at the age of thirty-three.

"Hello sweetheart. Isn't it nice to see you," Scarlett answered then placed a welcoming kiss atop her head.

A moment later Elizabeth was in Rhett's arms, receiving a warm hug. Scarlett could tell her husband was avoiding all eye contact with her, and she planned on paying him back for this deception later.

"Thank you for offering to do this for us, Mother," Wade said with genuine warmth, and his mother felt a short twinge of guilt for being so upset.

"It was our pleasure, darling. But you should really thank Uncle Rhett. It was his idea after all."

"But your mother could not have been happier with the idea," Rhett supplied with a smirk, ignoring the two green orbs burning into the side of his skull.

"Well, thank you both. I'll be here to pick her up tomorrow morning. Come give Daddy a kiss princess," Wade called to his daughter, pulling her into a tight embrace when she walked into his arms. "Promise you'll be a good girl for Grandma and Grandpa?"

"I promise Daddy."

"She'll be fine," Rhett assured his stepson, smiling down at his grandchild. "We have a lot of fun things planned for her."

To Scarlett's knowledge, they had absolutely nothing planned, and it took every ounce of willpower for her not to roll her eyes.

When Wade left, the first thing Rhett did was ask Elizabeth what she would like to do. The child's big brown eyes lit up with excitement as she suggested a game of hide-and-seek.

"I'll hide and you seek, Grandpa."

Without waiting for a reply, the child ran off in search of a place to hide in the vast home filled with closets and doors leading to a number of rooms.

"Isn't this nice, Rhett. You'll be lucky if you ever find her."

"You mean if _we_ ever find her. You're playing as well, my dear, whether you like it or not."

"I love how you failed to mention we would be having her sleep over," added Scarlett sarcastically as she followed him up the stairs.

"Did I? Must have slipped my mind."

"Slipped your mind my foot! You knew very well I wouldn't agree to this."

"You should be taking advantage of this opportunity. They're young for such a short period of time."

"Stop changing the subject. You're the one I'm at upset with for deceiving me."

Stopping short on the last step on the staircase, Rhett turned to his wife and asked, "Is it so horrible that I wanted to do something nice for Wade?"

Scarlett looked up at him for a brief moment then turned away, feeling that bite of guilt once again. No, it was not so horrible to want to do something nice for her son, but it felt unfair nevertheless. Though, she could not pinpoint exactly why she felt this way. She just did.

"I'm done discussing this. Let's find her and be done with it. Where would she go?"

"The nursery if I had to bet money on it."

Sure enough, the couple opened the nursery door and found Elizabeth playing with a few dolls she had pulled out of a treasure chest of toys.

"Look what I found!" she cried with enthusiasm, holding up a porcelain doll in the air. "Let's play dolls! Come Grandma, you can be her. She has pretty hair just like yours."

Laughing, Scarlett sat down on the floor and indulged her sweet granddaughter whose attention span was that of a regular four year old. With any luck, the moment they would start playing dolls, she will have moved on to a new game, preferably one that required very little effort on Scarlett's part. Rhett was always the one who was good at these games, changing his voice when pretending to be different characters and making a fool of himself by dressing up in costume when asked. She had never had much patience for any of it, but with her one and only grandchild at this point in time, Scarlett had been willing to make more of an effort. Although she would never admit it, Rhett was right about what he had said. Children did grow up much too quickly, and her own children had been proof enough of that as they had both left home before the age of eighteen.

~R&S~

After what seemed like an endless number of games, it was finally time for supper, and Scarlett sat in silence at the dining table, hoping to regain some energy and manage to refrain from killing her husband for putting her in this position.

"Aren't we quiet, my dear? Is supper not to your liking?"

With an evil glare, Scarlett stabbed a forkful of food into her mouth then looked away without bothering to reply.

Rhett chuckled into his napkin then continued eating.

"Are you angry Grandma?"

"Of course not precious," Scarlett answered with a false smile then gulped down a large mouthful of claret wine, wishing she had something stronger, then pushed her plate away without having touched much of the food. "I'm just not very hungry."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure, dear. Your grandfather tends to have that effect on me at times."

"This is certainly news to me. I don't believe I have ever seen you skip a meal in your life," Rhett remarked smoothly, his eyes alight with pure amusement.

"Are you finished eating, Elizabeth? Why don't we go upstairs and change into our nightgowns?"

"But I'm not tired yet," the child protested causing Rhett to interject.

"Go on up with your grandmother and then we can all read a story together. How does that sound?"

"All right," she agreed, jumping down off the chair and hurrying for the stairs leading up to the bedrooms. Scarlett stood, fluffing down the skirts of her black and violet brocade dress with as much grace as she could muster, then followed closely behind Elizabeth, refusing to acknowledge Rhett or his help with the situation. If he was the one who wanted to watch over the child then he very well could be the one to ward off any oncoming tantrums.

In their guest bedroom, Scarlett slipped Elizabeth into a cream colored button-up nightgown then coaxed her into bed and under the heavy blue and white quilted coverlet. The child reminded her that she needed her white lace blanket, a cherished treasure of hers, if she was ever going to fall asleep. Luckily, Scarlett recalled where the girl had dropped the blanket, lying left and forgotten in the nursery where she had been playing with the dolls, and she went to retrieve it. When returning back to the room, Rhett was already sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to tell his promised story.

"There you are, Scarlett," Rhett greeted her win a grin. "Are you ready for the story?"

Handing the blanket over to her granddaughter, Scarlett scowled back at him then sat down on the opposite edge of the bed. "Yes. Where is the book?"

"We won't be needing a book tonight. This is a very special fairy tale that I know off by heart."

"There's really no need for that, Rhett. We have plenty of books."

"What do you think Elizabeth? Do you want to hear my very special story? It's about a princess," he emphasized, knowing there was no way his granddaughter would pass up the opportunity to hear a tale about a princess.

"Oh yes, tell me Grandpa! Tell me."

"Good, but you'll have to listen very closely because there aren't any pictures. You'll have to use your imagination. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes!"

"That's my girl. Now, once upon a time in a kingdom far far away, there lived a beautiful Princess with long, straight black tresses, flawless magnolia-white skin, and eyes like twin goldfish bowls, filled to the brim with the clearest green water. She was the most charming princess in the kingdom and the apple of her father's eye."

Scarlett's mouth hung open in muted shock. Was it possible that Rhett was going to recount their past to their granddaughter! Oh no, he wouldn't dare. Would he? Unable to form any intelligible words, she simply listened in stunned silence as Rhett continued with the story like there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

"Men would fall to her feet, like flies to a honey jar, hoping to catch even just a mere minute of her attention and ask for her hand in marriage. But the Princess was very fickle, bestowing her attention carelessly one moment only to take it away the next. Until one day, she met a blond Prince who captured her attention."

"Was he a handsome Prince?" Elizabeth interrupted, looking up at her grandfather like he was the king of storytellers.

"Er…" Rhett floundered, thinking over his reply. "He was tolerable at best, and certainly not the brightest Prince there ever was. Rather woodenheaded in fact."

Scarlett coughed into her hands, sputtering at the words, and Elizabeth exclaimed, "Hmm… Grandpa, I don't think that's right. The prince is always handsome. Is this a real fairy tale?"

"Yes Rhett, do tell us. Is this a real story?" Scarlett questioned with deceptive smile, arms crossed in irritation.

"Who is telling the story here? Now, haven't you ladies heard the expression tall, _dark _and handsome? This Prince was blond and grey-eyed. Certainly not the embodiment of the word handsome. Shall I continue with the story?" he asked, looking mighty pleased with himself in his wife's opinion.

Elizabeth nodded her head with enthusiasm, while Scarlett only rolled her eyes, much to Rhett's amusement.

"Excellent. Now where was I? Oh yes, well the Princess thought herself madly in love with this Prince, but there was one problem. He was in love and engaged to another princess from a different kingdom, and they were set to be married that month."

"Oh no! The poor Princess! What did she do?"

"She tried to convince the Prince to run away together and marry her instead, but the Prince refused her, breaking her heart in the process. To add insult to injury, the townspeople discovered the Princess' treachery and attempt to steal the Prince away. Due to this, they shunned the Princess, and she was forced to leave her homeland. She was alone, homeless, and helpless. However, the Princess heard about a rumored dark and wondrously handsome Knight who had an unlimited supply of money he could lend her until she was able to afford a home and fend for herself."

"Did she find him?" the child asked, wide-eyed and attentive. It was not every day that she heard an imaginative story like the one her grandfather could weave.

"She did, and the Dark Knight lent her the money she needed. But all deals come with a price, and—"

"Yes and some prices are rather harder to pay than others aren't they, darling?" Scarlett jumped in, thinking back on the jail incident.

With a charming smile at his wife, white teeth gleaming tauntingly under his shortly clipped mustache, Rhett answered, "Indeed." He then directed his attention back towards Elizabeth and continued, "But the prince he asked for was her hand in marriage. You see, the Dark Knight had become friends with the Princess, and then he fell in love with her. He hoped that by convincing the Princess to marry him, she might come to care for him."

"Did they get married?"

"They did. But she only agreed because she wanted to get her pretty paws on his money, and he knew this. Regardless, the Dark Knight did everything he could for the Princess. He built her a grand castle designed to her taste, even though he thought it looked more like an architectural horror than a home. "

"A what?" asked Elizabeth.

"Er…a terribly ugly home that was so big and so fancy that it wasn't fit for the likes of decent society."

"He didn't like the castle?"

"It certainly wasn't his first choice in choosing a place to live, but he built it for the Princess. He also bought her jewels, gowns and carriages, leaving the townspeople pea green with envy. He gave in to all her desires so that she would know that she would never be cold or hungry again. But despite everything, the Princess was still in love with the Prince and mooning after him."

Suddenly, a heavy down-filled pillow smacked Rhett right in the face, leaving him speechless for a moment at the unexpected attack, and Elizabeth erupted into a sea of giggles at the shocked expression on her grandfather's face.

"May I ask what that was for?" Rhett muttered, rubbing a hand over the assaulted skin.

"Nothing dear," Scarlett replied innocently with a shrug of her shoulders. "I believed that I saw a fly and wanted to shoo it away. My mistake."

"Indeed, a blood thirsty one no doubt. What a fortunate man I am to have found such a devoted wife who looks after my welfare."

"I think you're fortunate any woman agreed to marry you."

Unaware of the heated quarrel about to erupt, Elizabeth cooled the situation by asking, "Grandpa, why would the Princess still want the Prince? He was married to someone else and she was married to the Knight."

"How perceptive, sweetheart. Just why would the Princess still want a Prince who never wanted her?"

"Perhaps she preferred blonds after all," Scarlett supplied with a sweet smile though her eyes were a stormy green, brewing with unbridled fury. It was lucky for Rhett that the only object in her proximity was a pillow. There was no knowing what damage could have been done had something of a little more substance been within reach.

With a smirk, Rhett remarked, "Did she now?"

Deciding to direct her attention towards her granddaughter before all restraint abandoned her and the desire to slap the smirk right off his face took over, Scarlett added, "You know Elizabeth, I think your grandfather is forgetting a very important part to the story. You see this— what did you call him Rhett?"

"He was a Dark Knight."

"Ha, yes. Dark Knight. Well he wasn't always very nice to the Princess. He used to tease her and make jokes. He was never serious. And sometimes he would say mean things that would hurt the Princess' feelings."

"That's not very smart," the child wisely surmised.

"You're right, darling, it wasn't smart in the least. I'm sure I don't know how the Princess was supposed to realize that the Knight loved her at all if he never said so and treated her so unkindly."

"Sometimes the Princess had it coming," Rhett interjected with a short laugh, simply unable to resist seeing the charming light of impatience melded with anger flash in Scarlett's eyes.

"Sometimes the Dark Knight was a cowardly, nasty, stinking thing, who could go straight to Halifax for all the Princess cared!"

"Umm, I don't know if I like this story Grandpa."

"Don't worry sweetheart, you will," Rhett said between laughs. "Now, your grandmother is right, the Knight should have behaved differently at times. But you see, he was cursed."

"Cursed!" she cried out. "Cursed by who?"

Scarlett groaned, digging her nails into the skin of her palm with such force in her frustration that she left behind four half-moon imprints.

Giving his wife a brief grin, Rhett continued, unperturbed, "He was cursed by his father who sent him away and cut him off from all of his family without a penny. The Knight had to survive through only way he knew how. Through using magic," he finished in a semi-whisper, hoping to prolong the excitement.

"Oh dear Lord," Scarlett muttered under her breath, wondering when in hell this story would reach its conclusion. The longer it went on the more ridiculous it became.

"How?" Elizabeth asked, now sitting up on her knees. "What kind of magic?"

"Yes, Rhett, please do tell us what kind of _magic _could he have possibly used to survive?"

"Well, he used to make deals and play games with people, tricking them into handing over their money."

"Oh yes, by persuading them to drink special tonics that made them forget their own names and gave them headaches to remember him by the next morning," Scarlett supplied with a short laugh.

Looking over at her grandmother, Elizabeth inquired, "You know this story Grandma?"

"It's…um… vaguely familiar."

Rhett chuckled softly at Scarlett's unease only to receive a glare in return, and then he continued on like there had been no interruptions. "Well, despite the Knight's remarkable good looks, intelligence, skills, and wealth—"

"And don't forget modesty."

Smirking devilishly, Rhett replied, "How could I forget, my pet, with you sitting so close beside me, my constant reminder of modesty and selflessness?"

"Oh hush up and get on with the story."

"Yes, well, despite all these things, he was still rather lonely. And that was a part of the curse, the curse that made him a coward and unable to love. You see, no one had ever loved the Knight. Not even his own family. And if you are never shown true love, you don't know how to give it in return."

Features softening, Scarlett observed her husband with a quizzical stare, wondering how much truth there was behind these words. After their reconciliation, Rhett had slowly become more forthcoming over time, though still hardly an open book about his past or his emotions. It was a new experience seeing him recount their history in this unexpected light to their granddaughter, and she could not help but gaze at him in wonder.

Feeling her scrutiny, Rhett looked over at his wife and their eyes met, but she blushed then immediately looked away like she had been caught doing something shameful.

"But I thought he loved the Princess?" Elizabeth asked, pulling the couple away from their own musings.

"He did, but she didn't love him back, which is why he treated her so horribly at times. It was also why he decided to go away, leaving the Princess behind in the castle," Rhett answered in all seriousness, devoting his attention back to his granddaughter.

"But that's terrible!" she cried, unable to accept anything but a happy ending. "What did the Princess do?"

"She was prostrate with grief, missing the Knight terribly and realizing just how much she loved him."

"I'm sure it wasn't as bad as all that," Scarlett scoffed at the exaggeration.

"But it was. Her life was meaningless without the Knight."

Cupping a hand over her mouth, a muffled laugh escaped her lips as Scarlett was no longer able to contain a straight face. Really, where he got all this from she had no idea. It was amazing what a tale Rhett could spin without the least bit of preparation, and if she did not choose to find the whole thing amusing, the greater the chances were that her fiery temper would override all other emotions. It was already fortunate for him that his previous and unanticipated words had cooled her bad humour considerably.

"So what happened, Grandpa?"

"The Princess decided that it was time she rescue the Knight, break the curse and bring him back home."

"How did she break the curse?"

"With true love's kiss. A kiss so powerful that it could break any curse, even a stubborn one. And that, my dear, is the end of the story. Time for bed," Rhett finished with a smile, cajoling the child back beneath the covers.

Sighing, Elizabeth propped her head back on the pillow and clasped her lace blanket tight to the chest.

"Did they live happily ever after?" she mumbled softly.

With a look to his wife, Rhett answered, "I'm not certain. What do you think, Scarlett?"

"Of course they did, darling. I don't think the Princess could have been happier with her ending. Well…unless of course the Knight was blond. She never really cared much for dark-haired men before the Knight."

"I believe that her tastes improved with time."

"Perhaps."

He gave her a look that said she would pay for that barb later, and she smiled saucily in return.

"Did you like that story, Elizabeth?" Rhett questioned before kissing the child goodnight.

"Yes, I'm going to tell Mommy and Daddy all about it tomorrow!"

The grandparents both exchanged a look of dread. They would definitely pay for that story somehow if it ever got back to Wade's ears. "Er…I wouldn't do that. I believe they both know the story quite well."

"I don't think so," she emphasized with a shake of her head. "They never told me before."

Rhett looked like he was at a loss for words and Scarlett shook her own head silently, wondering how the master of evasion could not find something to tell their granddaughter and persuade her otherwise.

"Maybe we can think of a better story to tell them tomorrow," Scarlett suggested while sweeping a gentle hand through her hair, then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss against Elizabeth's forehead. "Goodnight precious. Sleep tight."

"Goodnight," she replied, mid yawn, eyelids growing heavy almost as soon as the lights were blown out, and her grandparents knew that sleep would overtake her the moment she finally closed her eyes.

Quietly shutting the door as soon as they departed the room, Scarlett turned to speak to her husband in the hallway, "Well Rhett, who knew you had such an active imagination."

"Every marriage should still hold a bit of mystery," he quipped.

"I'm sure I don't know where you got the idea to refer to yourself as a Dark Knight."

"Would you have preferred Dark Captain?"

With a genuine laugh, she muttered, "Impossible man. I think pirate would have been more fitting."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You always did remind me of a pirate."

His laughter caused her to shake her head in exasperation. There really was no changing this man.

"Did you really mean all that you said, Rhett? You know, about the curse and true love's kiss?"

His eyes darkened intensely as he observed her features, gauging how much sincerity there was hiding behind the question. "What exactly are you asking, Scarlett?"

"Do you really think I rescued you?"

"Still searching for compliments even after all these years, Mrs. Butler?"

"Great balls of fire! Would you ever simply answer a question without talking in riddles? Yes or no. It shouldn't be so difficult to get a straight answer from you. "

"Yes," he answered easily, taking her so off guard that she paused and blinked a few times before speaking again.

"What?"

"Yes, I meant what I said."

"Oh."

"At a loss for words? My isn't this a surprise. Who knew—"

Swatting the infuriating scamp with the back of her hand, Scarlett cut him off and said, "Oh hush up, Rhett. It's a real surprise you even know how to answer a simple question. Did you really mean it or are you only teasing me?

"Yes, my love, I meant it. God help me but you're the only woman I've ever truly loved and who has loved me in return, even when I didn't deserve it. It's a special gift you've given me. I've only ever been loved unconditionally by children before. They're unselfish creatures that way."

The honest words uttered without even the hint of mockery caused a warm wave of happiness to wash over her. It was so surprising in fact that she found herself grinning like a love-sick fool.

"Well that almost makes me forgive you for ruining my Valentine's Day."

"Indeed? Did I ruin your day?"

"Hmm…no not really," Scarlett replied with two adorable dimples as she ran her hands up his chest only to then snake them around his neck. "I do love you, Rhett. Even when you drive me mad, which is most of the time."

Chuckling shortly, he pulled her closer and pressed a whisper of a kiss to the tip of her nose. "How flattering. Perhaps you may change your tune when I show you your surprise."

"My surprise!" she cried with excitement, clinging even more tightly around his neck. "Where? What is it?"

Rhett's eyes danced with unabashed amusement, loving how easy it still was to make Scarlett light up with a childlike happiness at just the mere mention of gifts. No matter how many years passed, some things never changed.

"In the dining room," he whispered into her ear, and she quickly kissed him on the cheek before pulling herself out of his arms and rushing down the stairs.

When walking into room, Scarlett gasped as she was greeted with a dining table covered in a wide variety of her favorite desserts. There were pastries thick with chocolate and stuffed with meringue, reminiscent of their time in New Orleans, fried peaches, strawberry jam cakes, blackberry rolls, a lemon pie, apple dumplings, and a pecan nut cake covered in thick whipped cream.

"Oh Rhett, you did this for me?"

"I did."

"How did you know I would barely eat a bite at dinner? I'm starving. Oh I love you! Thank you darling," Scarlett exclaimed then threw herself back into his arms and kissed him squarely on the lips, taking him slightly off guard in her haste. Catching his balance, Rhett drew her closer, arms wound firmly about her waist, and deepened their kiss.

"You mean how did I know you'd play the petulant child and barely touch your dinner?" Rhett jested when they finally pulled apart. "I'm sure I don't know,"

Sticking out her tongue in response, Scarlett sat down at the table and filled her plate with the various desserts with a candid wonder at how many there were to choose from.

"And then again, I knew there would be no resistance from you when it came to dessert, regardless of how much you ate. Are you happy?"

"I don't know - is there coffee?" she teased.

"If you'd like."

"Then yes. Ecstatic," Scarlett said, grinning up at him before biting into a heavenly pastry with a soft moan of joy.

When they had finished eating, Scarlett put down her coffee cup and walked over to Rhett who was sitting across from her and nursing a glass of whiskey. Wordlessly, she plucked the glass out of his hands, placed it on the table and plopped herself onto his lap.

"I don't believe I was finished with that."

"You are now," she informed him with a cheeky grin.

"Indeed?" he said with a short chortle. "Did you know you have chocolate on your face, love?"

Blushing, Scarlett swiped a hand over her mouth and looked to Rhett for approval.

"Still there."

She reached for his linen napkin lying on the table and tried again. "Well?"

"I'm afraid it's still there."

With an impatient huff she retorted, "Well, why don't you try and be more specific?"

"Why don't I show you," he murmured then gently cupped her chin between his fingers, leaning in slowly only to press his lips against her own. Sighing in response, her lips parted for him and she drew him closer by tugging at his shoulders. What started out as a tender caress rapidly escalated in fervor, hands roaming frantically to touch any available exposed skin and tongues dancing in blissful synchronicity, that when they finally pulled apart, Rhett was no longer sporting a cravat, his vest and shirt was unbuttoned to the midsection, and Scarlett's hair was hanging in soft waves, framing her face.

"Er…it's all gone now," Rhett remarked with a sheepish smile, though his eyes danced with a little too much triumphant delight for Scarlett's liking.

"Is it?" she replied breathlessly, trying to fight back a laugh. "Are you quite sure?"

"Quite. Though one more perusal wouldn't hurt."

"That won't be necessary."

Rhett pretended to look hurt at words and Scarlett giggled then brushed a quick peck to his cheek. There was nothing more that she would have liked to do than continue their little game, but there were a few things that had been on her mind during their dessert that plagued her mind and needed resolving.

"You know what you said before Rhett, about me saving you?"

"Yes," he sighed, realizing that his wife had moved onto far less interesting topics of conversation.

"Well…you saved me too. You're the only person I've ever been able to lean on. You don't know how nice it is to feel that way. It took me too long to realize it."

"I didn't make it easy," Rhett willingly confessed then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Neither did I," she admitted then hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry for being so upset at you for offering to watch Elizabeth."

"Is this a genuine apology?" Rhett asked with a hand to the heart, feigning absolute shock.

"Oh stop. You know you're the one who never apologizes."

"I believe I apologized yesterday did I not?"

"You asked if I forgave you!" Scarlett countered. "That's not apologizing."

"The sentiment was implied."

"Oh" she groaned hiding her face in the crook of his neck. "You're impossible. I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

"Rather difficult to be rid of me now," Rhett teased then reached for her hands, running his fingertips over the soft skin absentmindedly. "I'm afraid you are saddled with me for life."

"Who knew marriage would be such a trial."

"Why did you think I wasn't a marrying man?" he said between laughs then lightly pushed Scarlett away as to be able to look her in the eyes. "Tell me Scarlett, why were you so upset today?"

"I don't know," she mumbled then once again hid her face back in crook of his neck.

"You're lying."

Of course he knew she was lying. He always knew when she was lying or keeping something from him. Quite the annoying ability now that she thought about it.

"Well…you made all of these plans with Wade without consulting me and maybe I just thought you…forgot about me."

"I can assure you, my dear, nothing short of amnesia would permit me to forget about you."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Sitting up straight, she examined his face for any trace of mockery. Finding none, Scarlett smiled then snuggled up close again. It felt silly and selfish but sometimes she needed the reassurance that he still held her first and foremost in his thoughts. When she had gone on for months thinking that he cared next to nothing for her, it had chipped away at some of her self-confidence, and there were times when she wondered if he would simply change his mind and disappear again.

"Do you think I'm a horrible mother Rhett?" Scarlett asked hesitantly, fearing his answer. He had made no qualms about informing her of her less than stellar parenting skills in the past, and now she dreaded the answer more than ever since she was well on her way to agreeing with him.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because I was so upset with you for wanting to do something nice for Wade. Because I was more worried about myself today than anything else. It's no secret my children left the house and got married as quickly as humanly possible."

"Ella and Wade are happy in their marriages."

"I'm not stupid, Rhett. I know they ran away from me. Wade always wanted to go to Harvard but he's working at the store because it's what I wanted."

"The door is open for Wade to go to Harvard if he ever so chooses, and he knows that. Wade took over work at the store because he would do just about anything for you, my dear," Rhett answered with sincerity. "That doesn't scream of awful parenting to me."

"Yes he'd do anything for me and I didn't even want to do him this one favor. I'm horrible."

"Scarlett, have you gone out and grown a conscience on me? How much brandy did you pour into that coffee cup?" he jested then received a playful slap on the chest in return.

"Oh Rhett stop teasing," she begged. "I'm being serious now."

"I think your temper today had more to do with me than with a reluctance to do something nice for Wade."

"Yes, I think there's a lot of truth to that," she said, thinking back on the situation. Had Wade come to her himself, she probably would have agreed more readily. The fact that Rhett had offered to sign away their night of his volition without even being asked by her son first had sparked another reaction within her entirely.

"How quickly you agreed with me."

"What I meant is that I wanted to have you all to myself today and it would have been nice if you'd felt the same way. I didn't want to share you."

"Ah, I see. But you have me all to yourself now."

"I'm not patient."

"I hadn't noticed."

Laughing freely, she planted both hands atop his shoulders and poised her lips just above his own. "You really are a cad, Rhett Butler. But you're my cad."

"Only yours."

"I'm glad I broke your curse," she teased, equalling his jesting mood, then kissed him playfully. If she had learned anything over the years it was to take his teasing in stride. There was no used getting upset over his never-ending jokes. If anything, her temper only seemed to fuel him further.

His dark eyes flicked over her face at her words, on old habit of his that never really went away. The one difference was that the thing he was always searching for was now reflected back in her eyes, a wonderful little gift that still often took him by surprise.

"So am I. You make me very happy."

"I do?"

"Yes, very much," he consented seriously, and that was the truth. No matter how many trials they had suffered through both personally and as a couple, the relationship they had come to establish now more than made up for their tumultuous past. It was far from perfect. They still had the special knack for misunderstanding each other and arguing on a regular basis, but they always found a way to reconcile and slowly mend what had been broken.

"You make me happy too," Scarlett said, running a hand through his jet-black hair that was now peppered with a few grey strands here and there.

"You mean when I'm not driving you mad."

Pretending to contemplate her answer, Scarlett thought back on their rocky reunion, how they grown to know each other again as friends and rekindled their relationship. The peaceful and tender to passionate and consuming moments they shared now were some of the happiest in her life. And even when Rhett teased her and played on her last nerve, igniting a fit of pique, it was better than the aloof and uncaring Rhett who behaved like he felt nothing at all.

"No. Even then."

She caught Rhett staring at her like a cat at a mouse hole, a very hungry cat who longs to devour that mouse. It was a telling look that still made her stomach flutter with nervous energy and her cheeks flush with pink.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Scarlett asked.

"Like what?"

"Like," she started then paused, thinking that this was one look she would never tire of seeing. It didn't matter why or how he came by looking at her at this way only that it would never stop no matter how many years past between them. "Never mind," Scarlett finished with a smile before bestowing another careless kiss to his lips. "Let's go to bed, Rhett. I'm tired. We can clean up tomorrow."

"And by _we_ you mean me or the servants of course."

"Of course. How did know?"

"In some instances you continue to amaze me, and in others, you remain utterly predictable, my dear."

"I amaze you?"

"Naturally, that would be the only part of that sentence you retained."

"Tease me all you like Rhett Butler, I don't mind one bit. You said I amaze you and you can't deny it now. And it's a good thing too. Every marriage should hold still a bit of mystery."

"I don't deny it. You do amaze, never more than when you use my own words against me."

"Well we wouldn't want things to get boring."

"I don't think anyone could accuse us of being boring. However, there is one name that comes to mind when—"

"Don't you dare say it, Rhett."

Head thrown back, he laughed loudly then asked, "And what do you plan on doing if I choose not to heed your warning?"

"It's more what I plan on _not_ doing."

"Vixen," he muttered then suddenly swept her up into his arms and out of the chair, carrying her away from the dining room like she weighed nothing at all.

"Ahh!" Scarlett shouted in surprise, clinging to his neck. "Rhett, what are you doing?"

"We're going to bed as per your request. I only aim to please," he informed her with a sly wink.

"You can't carry me all the way. Put me down."

"You are either suggesting that I am too feeble to carry you or that you have grown heavier. I would be very careful in how you choose to answer that, my dear. I have my own methods of punishment."

"I have not grown heavier!" she denied hotly, quickly regretting all those sweets consumed previously.

"So be it. Prepare to face the consequences," Rhett cautioned then hurried his steps.

Giggling all the way up to their bedroom, Scarlett could not help but admit that the day had gone much better than expected. In fact, it was one of the best Valentine's Days that she could recall ever having experienced, not that she would confess this to her husband less Elizabeth remained intent on recounting this special fairy tale to her parents. Holding on to a bit of leverage could always come in handy if she planned on having him take full responsibility for that possible fiasco. Then again, there was not much of a need for leverage in their marriage anymore, despite how stimulating their power struggles could be.

~The End~

**Prompts by rue:**

1) Rhett and Scarlett (reconciled) baby-sit their grandbaby/grandchild

2) A lace blanket

3) A tantrum

After the book….obviously haha and sunny and/or funny theme

**As you can tell, this really was supposed to be posted on Valentine's Day, so I apologize for being so late! I have no real excuse other than life got crazy all of a sudden. I want to give a huge thank you to Bella who started this ficathon and who listened to me complain about my story for months now, among other things! ;) I owe you. Thanks to rue also for helping out and for the great prompts! I hope Scarlett's tantrum met your requirements, haha.** **If you are familiar with the television show, **_**Once Upon a Time**_**, it was also influential in the title choice and some elements in the story. This was a really fun ficathon to be a part of. I have enjoyed reading the fics that have been posted so far and look forward to reading the other stories as well! **


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